Hand-stamp.



(No Model.)

I @Mg *im w 36 MME-.minimum Ilm J. F. LEHNER.

H A N D S T A M P.

(Application led Apr. 19, 1899.1

Patented Sept I 6 n" C9 27 .30

iinn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. LEHNER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND..

HAND-STAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,292, dated September 4, 1900.

Application filed April 19, v1899. Serial No. 7l 3,625. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. LEHNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore city, in the State of Maryland, have in-' yented certain new and useful Improvements` 1n I-Iand Printing-Stamps, of which the fol-4 lowing is a specilication.

My invention relates to improvements inI the characters on `adjacent strips may beV brought into proper relation to print the de-4 sired character; and its object is to obviate some of the difficulties which have attended the practical working of stamps of this charter, as well as to increase the practical utility and simplify the construction of such devices.

Heretofore in stamps of this description the printing characters have generally been formed on endless ba11ds,which extend around a common bar or bridge spanning the openingin the baseplate and a support or a series of supports arranged in the upper part of the Trame. Generally these supports are rollers having serrated flanges which extend through the casing, so that they may be turned by hand, and as they are revolved the endless bands are drawn around by them. In order to keep the bands taut, and Where rollers are used to provide sufficient friction between the rollers and the bands to insure movement of the latter, considerable tension is required, and tension devices are generally employed; but it is found in practice that when sufficient tension is applied to accomplish the desired result it becomes difficult to turn the rollers or to move the bands, and this trouble becomes aggravated when the stamp, after considerable usage,beco1nes clogged with ink, dust, dac., while the severe strains on the bands destroy their uniformity and render the printing uneven. These are difficulties which seem to be inherent to a greater or less degree in all stamps wherein endless bands are employed. i

In carrying out my invention, instead of using a series of endless bands like those in common use I employ strips of suitable inaterial not joined at the ends. These strips are so formed and arranged that they are through Fig. l.

under practically no tension or strain, and the adjustment can always be accomplished with ease, while the duration of the strips and the uniformity of the printing are preserved.

Other important features of my invention are the simplicity of the construction, requiring few parts,which are easily put together,

and a rotatable impression device connected with the die-plate and carrying on its several faces different words or characters, so that the stamp may be quickly adapted to various purposes.

In the accompanying drawings,which illustrate. Iny invention, Figure l is a perspective View of my improved stamp complete. Fig. 2 is a similar view of one section ofthe stampcasing. Fig. 3 is a central vertical-section Fig. et is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a perspective viewof the internal adj usting-plate. Fig. 7 is a central longitudinal section of the lower part of the device, the upper part being broken away. Fig. 8 is a top perspective view of the dieplate, and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the printing-strips.

Referring to the drawings, lindicates the frame of my improved stamp,which,as shown, consists of a pair of opposing sections or plates 2 3, each having around its top and sides an evenly-faced iiange et, which flanges when the parts are assembled constitute the top and side Wallsof the casing and form the meeting surfaces between the sections. Each section is provided with a series of parallelopenings 5, 6, 7, and 8 extending longitudinally throughout the greater portion of its length. As shown in Fig. 2, outwardly-projecting feet 9 are formed at the lower extremities of the side Walls of each section, said feet having inclined upper surfaces, and an extension l0 projects from the top Wall, this .extern sion being semicircular in cross-section and having a longitudinal groove l2 and atransverse recess 13 on its inner face. The side ywalls are formed with parallel guideways I4 roo handle is removably secured to the headby Slight transverse indentations or grooves meansof -a ,bayonetjoint 18. I The Yplate 15 is adjustable longi utlinally Within thefgnides 14 by means of an adjusting-rod 19, having a screw-threaded end 20, which engages with a correspondingly-threaded socket 2l in the top of the plate 15. This rod'extends thrtmgh.y the tubular head and is free to turn therein, but is prevented from moving longitudinally by a boss 22 near the upper end of itherod,` which enters the recesses 13. The outer end, of the rod has a slot- 23, so that it may be turned by Ameans. ot' .ascrew-driver or other:` suitable instrument.

The base-plate 24 is provided ateitherend of the opening 25`with receptacles 26 and n27',

' each having inwardly-extending arms 28.one

of said receptacles 26 'having an overhanging flange 29 and the other being provided witha set-screw 30. .To attach :the casing ;to the base-plate, the feet 9 on one side of the casing are insert-ed -under the flange 29, and the set-screw 30 isturned so as lo bear upon the inclined faces of the'feet on the other side of: the casing. Thefarms 28 hold the ltwosides of the casing ltogether at the bottom.

In Fig. 9 I have illustrated in perspective one of the printing-strips which I employ. It;

consists of a thin strip of flexible material;-

31, having on its face the usual raised typcl and at either end a thickened portion 32, as shown, of the lsame width as 'the strip and. which extends above the type. VThe ends 32- should be slightly lwider than the longitudi--' nal openings in thecasing, although the partk 31 may be of any desired width. Projecting, from the center of each-thickened portion 32; is a narrow thumb-piece 33. I employ fourz of these strips in each stamp, the two central strips having type representing the digits,

whilethe right and left hand strips, respec-l tively, have the years and months arranged thereon. These strips are arranged Within,j the casing before the parts are assembled byf extending the thumb-pieces of each strip through the opposing openings in the casing, and when the two parts of the casing aref brought together, the adj usting-platebeingl in place, each strip will be doubled around the lower end of the plate, as shown in Fig. j 3, and the thickened ends of the strips williy be slightly compressed between the casing and plate, While the part carrying the type; will not touch the casing. The strips arel thus held by frictional contact only at thel ends, and they may be moved in either di rection by an upwardpressure on the ap-l propriate thumb-piece, or, preferably, by a; downward pressure on one side and an up- Ward pressure on the other side, as this lat-5 ter method relieves the strip of any strain. The thumb-pieces 33, projecting through the,y openings, form guides for the strips. Byl means of the adjusting-plate 15 and rod 19t the type may be adjusted at the impressionpoint to correspond with the surface of the,

stationary type 42 on the base-plate.

43 4are formed in the strip 3l ,between the characters 4thereon in order that each character may bear squarely against the lower lend of the plate 15 when in position for use.

The front part of the base is provided with l.a pair 01 ears y34 35 Iwhich extend beyond and above the plate and form bearings for the spindle of an adjustable im pression-block 36,'ihav`in g on its several faces different combinations of letters or words, such as Paid, .Answeredf Received, tbc. As shown, this -block -is `triangular in cross-section, its

`three sides being provided with printing ,Characters 37; but it may evidently be made with a less or greater number of printingsurfaces. Interposed between .the block and the ear 34 is arranged a coiled compressionspring 39 which lnormally forces the opposite end ofthe block against the ear 35. The block is capable of an endwise as well as a rotary movement, both movements being effected through thev medium of va knob 38. The ear 35 is provided with an inwardly-projecting locking-pin 40, (shown in dotted lines, Fig. 8,) whic'h when .the block is turned into the proper position for printing registers with one of a series of holes 41, suitably disposed inthe end of the block. To rotate the block, the knob 38 is `pushed inward against .the action of vthespring and then turned until :the -proper characters are brought to the front. VWhen the knob is released, the pin 40 enters theopposing hole in the end of the block and locks it securely in position.

If desired, instead ofem ploying the adjustable impression-block 36 type similar to those at 42 maybe stationarily arranged yat that side of the stamp where in the embodiment herein illustrated the said adjustable block 36 Ais located.

By means of the adjustable impressionblock the stamp may be quickly and conveniently adapted to a lvariety of purposes.

'The operation of my improved stamp will be apparent from the foregoing description.

Without limiting myself to the precise construction shown and described, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a hand-stamp, the combination with a `casing having opposing longitudinal openings in its sides, of a printing-strip having thickened portions held frictionally within said casing, andthumb-pieces extending into the openings, substantially as described.

2. In a hand-stamp, the combination with a ycasing having opposing longitudinal openings in its sides, of a printing-strip having thickened ends held frictionally within said casing, and thumb-pieces connected with said ends and projecting through .the openings,

Vsubstantially as described.

3. In a hand-stamp, the combination with a casing having opposing pairs of longitudinal openings in its sides, of a plate within said casing and printing-strips, one for each IIO pair of openings, extending around the lower end of said plate and having thickened portions frictionally held between said plate and the casing, substantially as described.

4. In a hand-stamp, the combination with a casing having opposing pairs ofv longitudinal openings in its sides, of a plate longitudinally adjustable within said casing and printing-strips, one for each pair of openings, extending around the lower end of said plate and having thickened ends frictionally held between said plate and the casing, and thumbpieces connected with said ends and extending through the openings, substantially as described.

5. In a hand-stamp, the combination with a casing having longitudinal side openings, internal guideways and a tubular head, of a plate movable in said guideways and having a threaded socket, an adj Listing-rod extending through said head and having a screwthreaded portion engaging the threaded socket in the plate and type-carrying strips extending longitudinally of said plate provided with thu nib-pieces extending through the longitudinal side openings, substantially as described.

6. In ahand-stamp, a printing-strip of flexible material having raised impression chal'- acters thereon, and thickened end portions, substantially as described.

7.,In ahand-stamp, a printing-strip of flexifb'le/material having raised impression characters on one side, thickened end portions extending outwardly beyond said characters, and guide-pieces projecting from said end portions, substantially as described.

8. In a hand-stamp, the combination of a base having an aperture, a casinghaving elongated openings formed in opposite sides, a

exible type-carrying strip so arranged within the casing that the type thereon will extenf'.'L through the aperture in the base, thumbpieces connected with the ends of said strip and extending through the elongated openings inthe sides of the casing, and type stationarily secured to the lower face of the stamp-base, Vsubstantially as described.

9. In a hand-stamp, a printing-strip of flexible material having raisedimpression characters thereon, separated one* lfrom another n 

